The Impact / The Impact

The Song Room now has a significant body of independent research into the efficacy of our music and arts programs, particularly in terms of student outcomes.

In 2009 The Song Room received a grant from the Macquarie Group Foundation to undertake a series of research projects over the space of three years into the outcomes of our programs tailored for different student/community cohorts.

Launched in 2011 by the Minister for School Education, the quasi-experimental research report conducted by Professor Brian Caldwell and Dr Tanya Vaughan called ‘Bridging the Gap in School Achievement through the Arts’ showed internationally significant results. Here and elsewhere, arts education is a proven platform to attain better learning and fairer societies.

Another study, ‘Bridging the Gap in Indigenous Achievement through the Arts,’ verified that the learning gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia could be significantly reduced through The Song Room’s parental and community partnerships and arts-based programs.

The ‘New Moves’ study into refugee children conducted by Victoria University showed that cultural and language barriers to learning become less of a problem and children began performing better in their new community when they were involved in sustained music and arts-based programs by The Song Room.

Our research affirms and validates our dedication to our programs in schools and communities. We will continue to evaluate our work to close the gaps of advantage around Australia.

Find out more about the impact The Song Room programs have on:

School grades

Our independent research proves that children involved with The Song Room music and arts-based programs perform better and enjoy themselves more at school.
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Social-emotional wellbeing

Research shows The Song Room students are more confident, less lonely and begin to engage more with the school curriculum.
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Attendance

Our leading research found school children were so engaged and excited about The Song Room programs that school attendance rates spiked.
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Indigenous children

Independent research shows that even the most uninterested and isolate children begin to engage more with their learning and interact more with the class when they are in The Song Room programs.
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New arrivals

Research showed that language barriers and social resistance were lesser issues for refugees and new arrivals taking part in The Song Room.
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Social return on Investment

International research has proven the positive effects music and arts-based learning has on economies and social harmony.
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